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Media Kit: Home Base

Survey Results: Preparing for Home Emergencies

Establish a ‘Home Base’ to prepare yourself and your family for emergencies.

Overview

Having reliable communications options is a lifeline during an emergency. A recent national survey we conducted in conjunction with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) found that while most households recognize the importance of having several options to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency, the majority (68 percent) admitted that they lack a comprehensive emergency communications plan.

However, assembling a plan is easy to do, and we’re offering these tips to help you build your emergency communications plan:

  • Establish a “home base.” Make sure there is a centrally-located landline phone for making emergency calls quickly.
  • Designate an exit plan. Know the safest route out of the residence and establish a safe location or meeting point.
  • Create a list of emergency contact numbers. Include 9-1-1, family members, insurance agencies, doctors and pharmacies, etc. Program the numbers into your home phone’s speed dial and your wireless phone’s address book.
  • Conduct a communications inventory. Identify and locate your phone options, including your landline home phone, a corded phone that will work in a power outage, wireless phone, batteries, and chargers.
  • Discuss plans with your children. Talk about with your children what is considered an emergency and demonstrate to them how to dial 9-1-1.

Learn more about creating Peace of Mind in case of emergency.

Survey Results
Survey Results

The national survey measured respondents’ level of home emergency planning and gained insight into their communications preparedness. A majority (68 percent) of people do not have a comprehensive home emergency plan in place.

  • 68 percent of households do not have a comprehensive home emergency communications plan in place.
  • 80 percent felt having both a landline phone and wireless phone in their home in case of emergency is important because it provides options to dial 9-1-1 reliably and quickly.
  • 66 percent said that dialing 9-1-1 from a landline telephone is part of their home emergency plan.
  • 54 percent of households with a landline phone do not have a corded phone set which does not require a/c power for dial tone for use in the event of a power outage.
  • Only half of respondents with kids in their household have discussed with their child the location and use of a “home base” for making emergency calls (having designated a central, landline phone that can quickly be located in an emergency).
  • 67 percent of respondents who have a phone cable above the ground to their house said that they have an alternative phone
Home Base

A key component to having an emergency communications plan in place is designating a “home base” to dial out during an emergency — whether it’s a traditional landline telephone, cell phone, or even both.

Eight in 10 respondents felt that having both a corded landline and a cell phone in their home in case of an emergency is important because it provides a way to dial 9-1-1 quickly. The more options consumers have to dial out in an emergency, the better.

The “home base” should be centrally-located for quick access in an emergency. It should also be within reach of children, in case they need to place the emergency call.

Parents should also discuss with their children where the “home base” phone will always be located and teach them how to dial 9-1-1.

Visit www.att.com/emergency for useful emergency tips and support.

Visit NENA’s website for an online brochure that provides age-appropriate information about the 9-1-1 system and emergency response.

Cover Your Bases
Cover Your Bases

To be prepared, brainstorm different emergency scenarios and make sure you have your bases covered.

Power Outages
Corded landline phones that do not require A/C power for a dial tone work even when the power is out. Only 46 percent of survey respondents said that they have a corded phone available to use in the event of a power outage.

Health Issues
Having a centrally-located phone available at all times gives piece of mind if a health issue or household accident were to arise. Especially if you have any health risks, discuss possible scenarios with your family and children, and explain how to identify a health emergency and call for help.

9-1-1 Education
9-1-1 Education

Another element of a home emergency plan is making sure everyone in the house knows what to do in an emergency, including children.

Forty-two percent of respondents with children were only somewhat confident or not confident that their child would know what to do in case of a home emergency. Twenty-five percent of respondents said that their child does not know the difference between placing an emergency call from a landline phone versus a cell phone. Here are some tips on using 9-1-1 on your AT&T mobility phone.

Tips for preparing your children for communication in an emergency:

  • Educating them about how to dial 9-1-1.
  • Establishing a “home base” for making calls.
  • Making sure they know what constitutes an emergency.
  • Creating a list of emergency contacts that they can access.
  • Showing them the difference between dialing 9-1-1 from a landline phone versus a cell phone. A landline phone requires dial tone, a cell phone requires that you push “send”.

NENA has provided 10 video tips to help prepare everyone in the family for making an emergency phone call to 9-1-1. Watch each tip here.

For more information on home phone safety for children, visit www.att.com/safety.